MOSCOW, October 4 (R-Sport) – World heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine weighed in 7.2 kg (15.8 pounds) heavier than his Russian rival Alexander Povetkin ahead of Saturday's showdown, the official weigh-in registered in Moscow on Friday.
Klitschko is putting all four of his belts on the line in the sold-out bout at the Olympiisky Sports Complex in the Russian capital to be televised in the United States by HBO.
The Ukrainian super champion tipped the scales at 109.6 kg, 3.6 kg lighter than in his previous fight against Francesco Pianeta in May.
Povetkin, in turn, has also trimmed down since May’s bout with Andrzej Wawrzyk and registered 102.4 kg. The 6-foot-6 (1.98 m) Klitschko is also four inches taller than the 34-year-old Russian, and his reach extends 15 cm farther.
Klitschko has not tasted defeat since 2004 and said he was eager to spoil Povetkin's clean record of 26 wins in 26 bouts, 18 of them via knockout. The fighter nicknamed "Dr. Steelhammer" is 60-3 up.
Klitschko will get record $17.5 million for the fight, while Povetkin, known to fans as the “Russian Vityaz,” will receive only $5.8 million from the purse sponsored by the Russian oligarch Andrei Ryabinsky.
